This invention relates to closures for containers, and more particularly to reusable, tamper evident, dispensing closures for containers of liquid or paste products.
Containers having removable, re-usable closures may be employed for retail packaging of virtually any flowable product. Numerous configurations and sizes are employed depending on the particular characteristics of the product, its intended use, and similar parameters. Products suitable for packaging in such containers include viscous liquids (for example, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, oils, and the like), low viscosity liquids (for example, beverages such as water, juices, carbonated sodas), and granular powders (for example, detergents, spices, and the like).
For many products, including viscous liquids, the size of the container orifice typically is determined according to the desired throughput of the orifice based on the product viscosity. For example, paste-like, high-viscosity dishwasher detergent may require a larger orifice to encourage flow therethrough than would a shampoo. Likewise, a low-viscosity oil, such as baby oil, which has a lower viscosity than shampoo, would require a smaller orifice than that for shampoo.
Liquid beverages typically are provided for retail sale and subsequent use in a plastic container having a removable, screw-type closure with a frangible tamper evident band formed at its bottom concentrically around the container neck, such as that disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/032,542, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,921 entitled, xe2x80x9cTamper Evident Band With Undercut,xe2x80x9d and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/224,962, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,939 entitled, xe2x80x9cTamper Evident Closure Having Improved Drainage,xe2x80x9d each of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. After initial tearing of the tamper evident band and removal of the closure from the container, the closure may be reused by screwing the closure onto the threads on the container neck. Because the closure is fully removed before using, the pour opening is unencumbered by the closure, which enhances pouring or drinking from the container""s opening.
Many containers, including many 16 ounce and two liter beverage containers, have a neck with a 28 mm finish, which has become a standard size in the beverage packaging industry. The internal diameter of the container neck of a 28 mm finish is often approximately 0.86 inches. Liquid beverages are sometimes packaged with containers having enlarged orifices (that is, larger than the 28 mm closure).
Some liquid beverage containers have a push-pull dispenser attached, the combination of which is sometimes termed a xe2x80x9csports bottle.xe2x80x9d A typical example of a push-pull dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,008, entitled, xe2x80x9cResealable Bottle Cap With Push-Pull Closure.xe2x80x9d Push-pull dispensers often include an upstanding pour spout or tube registering with an opening in the center of the cap and a smaller diameter plug positioned above the pour spout. A top cap is movably attached to the pour spout and has an opening in registration with the plug. The top cap is vertically movable to an upper position in which the opening is spaced apart from the plug to enable liquid dispensing and a lower position in which the opening is sealed by the plug. Push-pull dispensers typically have threads for screw connection with the neck of the container, and a tamper evident band as described above.
Although the push-pull dispenser may permit access to the liquid product without unscrewing the entire closure from the container neck, many users dislike the pouring characteristics of the push-pull dispenser, which often produces a narrow stream of fast moving liquid. Many users prefer the unencumbered access to the pour opening for drinking and pouring from the bottle neck to the smaller push-pull opening. Unscrewing a push-pull dispenser to uncover the container neck makes the push-pull dispenser superfluous. Further, conventional push-pull dispensers require a user to grasp the mouthpiece by hand. Such hand or finger contact of the mouthpiece promotes unsanitary and unhealthy conditions, especially in light of the frequent use and actuation of the push-pull mechanism. Even if the push-pull dispenser is used to dispense liquid into a container or cup for drinking, the top plug of the dispenser is exposed and likely to be subjected to dirt or other contaminants.
It is a goal of the present invention to provide a closure having good pour characteristics and a provision to indicate tampering, and that is easy to use.
A closure for a container for use with a flowable product is provided that comprises a closure body and a top cover. The closure body has a spout sidewall and a circumferential skirt downwardly depending from the sidewall. The sidewall defines an orifice therein for dispensing the product therethrough. The top cover, which removably covers the closure orifice, includes a circumferential base coupled to the closure body; a movable lid including a cover and a plug downwardly extending from the underside of the lid; a tear band removably coupled to the lid; and a hinge pivotally coupling the lid to the base.
The tear band and the hinge are disposed substantially around a perimeter of the cover. Preferably, except for a pair of slots that are disposed on each side of the hinge and that separate the hinge from the tear band, the tear band and the hinge circumscribe the perimeter of the lid. The tear band is upwardly inclined such that un upper, planar portion of the lid is disposed above the base to provide space for the plug to be insertable into and removable from the spout wall. The plug is removably insertable into the spout to seal the orifice, which isolates the product within the container. Preferably, the spout and the plug have a height (that is, along a centerline of the closure) and a fit that provides an airtight seal therebetween, even against positive pressure (that is, pressure greater than standard atmospheric pressure) contained within the container.
The closure has a tamper-resistant position in which the tear band couples the lid to the base to prevent actuation of the lid, a closed position in which the tear band is detached from the top cover and the plug is sealably disposed within the closure body orifice, and an open position in which the lid is spaced apart from the orifice via pivoting about the hinge to enable dispensing of the flowable (preferably liquid) product. The orifice has a diameter that is at least as large as a container neck orifice, preferably along the entire height of the spout wall, such that the diametral relationship between the closure orifice and the container neck orifice enhances pour characteristics of the closure by, for example, eliminating constrictions in the closure.
Further, especially with respect to a 28 mm closure, a user is familiar with the container neck orifice pouring and dispensing characteristics (that is, the rate of product flow over a range of inclination angles of the container, the angle at which the container orifice is choked, and like characteristics). Thus, providing the closure with an enlarged opening similar in size or larger than the container neck opening provides the user with predictable and familiar pouring and dispensing characteristics. Moreover, such a closure orifice provides a relatively large flow rate compared to sport bottle closures and similar closures that have an outlet constriction.
The hinge is configured such that the lid is pivotable away from the spout to render the spout freely accessible while the closure is in the open position. The lid may pivot more than 180 degrees, and preferably approximately 270 degrees, to be entirely disposed outside of an imaginary vertical geometric projection that projects from the closure orifice along a longitudinal centerline of the closure, as well entirely disposed below an uppermost portion of the spout. A user""s mouth, therefore, has complete access to the spout to enable the user to drink directly from the closure.
In addition to the benefits of the pour opening, the closure has easy-opening characteristics. The closure enables removal of the lid to expose the orifice without unscrewing the entire closure from the container neck. Further, the opening and closing of the lid may be accomplished with little or no contact between the closure parts that contact the user""s mouth and the user""s hand or finger(s) during the opening and closing processes, which promotes cleanliness of the closure.
The hinge may be either a non-living hinge, or include a pair of living hinges disposed on opposing sides of a panel. A snap boss and a matching snap recess are disposed on the closure top cover to releasably secure the lid in the open position.